


Old Outposts and a Game of Sabacc

by PilotInTheStars



Series: Now That's What You Call a Dream [9]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Gen, Kanan Jarrus Lives, Outer Rim Planets (Star Wars), Star Wars: Sequel Trilogy Era, The Resistance Era, an update to my very indulgent au, oh yes and a poorly written sabacc game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:33:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28374705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PilotInTheStars/pseuds/PilotInTheStars
Summary: Jacen is assigned by the Resistance to go to an outpost on an Outer Rim planet.
Relationships: Jacen Syndulla & Original Character(s), Jacen Syndulla & Original Kanan Jarrus/Hera Syndulla Child(ren)
Series: Now That's What You Call a Dream [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1152563
Comments: 6
Kudos: 13





	Old Outposts and a Game of Sabacc

**Author's Note:**

> I'm in a weird place with Star Wars lately, if my tumblr is any suggestion. I usually try and write this series in a... somewhat chronological way. That doesn't always work out and I've had some stories with an older Jacen and Sienn rattling around in my brain, and I wanted to finally write them. A story from Sienn's POV might be up soon. 
> 
> You don't have to read the other stories in this series, but it might give you more context to what is going on. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

“Will you take me up flying?”

Jacen looked up at the young Twi’lek boy, Lao, sitting in the pilot’s chair, who in turn looked back at him. 

“Not sure that’s my decision,” Jacen said, looking back at his mother, Shiri, who was standing on the ground, her arms crossed, but a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. 

“We’ll see," she said, "But it’s time for us to head home, Lao.”

The small boy frowned, but reached out his arms as Jacen moved to pick him up out of the pilot’s seat and onto the ground. His mother took his hand. 

“Thank you,” Shiri said. “What do you say, Lao?”

“Thank you!” the boy chimed in. 

“Of course. You’re free to hang out in the cockpit anytime.”

The boy gave Jacen a wave as he and his mother went back into the city. He was vaguely reminded of a younger version of himself, always asking his mother to teach him to fly. 

When the Resistance asked him to station himself on this planet, he didn’t expect to find another Twi’lek family. Even though he was half Twi’lek, he could normally blend in with a human crowd, they wouldn’t have noticed them if he hadn’t spoken a few words of Ryl. 

In terms of Ryl, he was rusty. His mother had spoken it to him and Sienn on the rare occasion, and nearly every song she sang was in Ryl. A few summers he had spent on Ryloth had helped him out as well. 

And now, he didn’t feel quite as alone on this planet.

Jacen climbed down from his ship, figuring he might as well go into town and find himself something to eat for the evening, before retiring to his ship for the night. 

* * *

Rumor had gotten around about a young man with green hair who had flown into the outpost, and he had a good eye for problems with ships and machinery. Jacen hoped he wasn’t drawing too much attention to himself, but it seemed like lots of strangers went through these parts. 

Spending hours with his mother repairing the Ghost as a child had prepared him well, and the job let him pay for food, and occasionally a room to stay in when it was too cold to sleep in his ship.

He had been eating breakfast at the local bar in town when a man came and found him. Jacen had spent most of the day sitting in the fields and fixing a speeder that was probably older than him. Maybe he had overestimated his mechanical abilities.

The sun had just peaked in the sky when the man who had recruited him brought him a jug of water, which Jacen appreciated greatly. 

He thanked the man and took a drink. 

“Least we could do. You’re free to come closer to the house where there’s some shade.” 

“Might take you up on that offer.” Simultaneously, he liked being out in the fields. He had been rather homesick lately, and sitting in the fields he could somewhat pretend like he was back on Lothal. But the shade sounded appealing too. 

As if on cue, the man added, “You’re not one of those First Order folks are you?”

Jacen would have felt insulted if it hadn’t just been an honest question. He had probably wondered the same thing about a lot of people. 

“Definitely not.”

The man gave a nod. “You’ll forgive me for asking, there’s plenty of rumors going around that we’re next on the list.”

Jacen looked up at him. 

“They’re occupying just about every planet in the galaxy it seems like.”

Jacen nodded.

“I have a brother, he flies cargo. Got stopped by a whole First Order fleet a couple months ago.”

_That was interesting._

He looked back to the speeder.

“How big of a fleet?”

The man thought for a second. “Larger than expected. We don’t get news that fast out here.”

A strange sense of dread filled his stomach. 

“Well. We’ll see, won’t we?” the man continued. 

Jacen nodded and turned back to his work, and the man went back to his house. Neither quite knew what to say.

* * *

Though it might not have helped to aid in any sort of undercover mission, his sister came to visit, and Jacen appreciated it greatly. When was the last time they had seen each other? It had been too long.

Shiri and Sienn got along well, when his sister stopped briefly to visit. 

“I see you got the lekku,” Shiri said to Sienn, after they shook hands. 

His sister laughed. “I did. One of us was bound to.”

That evening they put together something that resembled a traditional meal, something Jacen and Sienn might’ve eaten when they visited Ryloth. Indeed, it tasted like summer. 

Lao begged to go outside, and Sienn took him out of the little house while Shiri and Jacen cleaned up. 

When Jacen joined them again, Lao ran up and grabbed his arm. “Can you do the trick?” he asked.

Sienn gave a glance at him. “What trick?”

Jacen didn’t answer. He just leaned down and picked up a rock. Adjusting it in his hand, he levitated the rock over to Lao, and the young boy grabbed it with a grin. 

“Did you know he could do that, Sienn?” Lao asked.

Sienn pretended to consider. “You know, I’m not sure.”

* * *

“Don’t tell me you’re considering it.”

Jacen looked down to see his sister glaring at him. “What?”

“You’ve been eyeing that sabacc game for the past half hour. Please don’t tell me you’re joining.”

They were at the bar in town, and if he was to say he wasn’t eyeing the game, it'd be a lie.

“Well…”

Sienn gave a glare.

“Well, I’d be lying, if I wasn’t considering it.” He put his hands in his pockets. “I’m just going to blend in.” 

“Yeah, a stranger going in and getting his ass beat won’t draw attention at all.” She paused. “There’s no way of stopping you, huh?”

“Not in the slightest.” 

She gave a huff, and walked away. Jacen went and took a seat at the sabacc table. 

He was dealt some cards, and within a few minutes was reminded of how terrible he was at this game.

It had been awhile since he had last played. He had been a teenager when Uncle Zeb had taught him, and he vaguely remembered a story about his dad betting Chopper. He’d have to ask about that again.

Jacen looked around and caught sight of Sienn, who had sat down in the corner, her arms crossed against her chest. He looked back at his hand of cards.

He pretended to ignore his sister glaring at him from the corner of the room. It almost felt like home again.

But a little while later, a smile tugged at Sienn’s lips as Jacen held up a bag of credits.

“Meager earnings. But it’s something.”

“Yeah, just don't let Mom hear about it.”

* * *

“You have to head off?”

“Resistance doesn’t wait.” She gave him a sad smile. He gave a nod, as she went to give him a hug. 

“I do miss you.” She looked at him. “I just like giving you a hard time.”

“You wouldn’t be Sienn if you _didn’t_ give me a hard time.” 

She grinned. “Someone has to.” 

Sienn headed into the Phantom II and gave him a wave goodbye, and he watched as she flew away, before turning on his heel and heading back to the town. 

* * *

The First Order invaded about two months later, and he fled in the night by the skin of his teeth. 

Jumping into hyperspace, he felt guilt. Felt guilt about leaving the planet behind, the few friends he had made there behind. 

Maybe he could send a message. Maybe he could come back, if they ever made it out of this mess alive.

He just hoped Shiri and Lao would forgive him.

Unsure of what else to do, he set course for Lothal.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. <3


End file.
